Potassium in Potatoes

The potato, classified as a starchy vegetable, is so versatile it can be eaten for breakfast or dinner and prepared as a side dish or the main meal. Potatoes contain carbohydrates -- the macronutrient consisting of sugar molecules -- that the body can easily break down and use for energy. Potatoes contain no fat, no cholesterol and minimal sodium, making them a good addition to a heart-healthy diet. In addition, potatoes serve as an excellent source of potassium, an essential mineral important for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Potassium Content

A lot of nutritional information indicates that it is good to refrain from eating foods high in carbohydrates, such as potatoes. However, carbohydrates are a necessary macronutrient and the National Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends that 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. Choosing carbohydrates that also provide other essential vitamins and minerals helps you to meet all of your nutritional needs. Therefore potatoes, a vegetable packed with vitamins and minerals, can be incorporated into a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Potatoes are one of the best sources of dietary potassium, providing 620 mg.

Potassium Intake

The National Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends adults consume 4,700 mg of potassium per day. This means that one potato provides 18 percent of the daily recommended intake, according to the National Potato Council. Increasing your potassium intake and decreasing your sodium intake help to reduce high blood pressure for those who suffer from hypertension -- a medical condition characterized by consistently high blood pressure readings. In addition, consuming adequate levels of potassium can reduce the risk for developing high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association.

Role of Potassium

Potassium functions as an electrolyte along with other essential minerals including sodium, magnesium and calcium. Electrolytes help to transmit the electrical signals between the nerves and muscles. This means potassium is vital to normal heart function and important for normal muscle contractions in both smooth and skeletal muscles. Potassium also works with sodium to balance the amount of fluid in and out of the cells. This means that both potassium and sodium affect blood pressure -- an important factor in cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association says that potassium dulls the effects of sodium and may therefore protect against the onset of high blood pressure. Heart healthy diets, such as the DASH diet created by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, encourage eating potassium-rich foods containing no fat or cholesterol and the potato meets these standards.

Potato Nutrition

Although packed with potassium, one potato contains only 110 calories, according to the Washington State Potato Commission. In those few calories potatoes provide a lot of nutrition including 45 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C, according to the Washington State Potato Commission. Other vitamins and minerals found in potatoes include vitamin A, vitamin B-6, thiamin, niacin, folate, riboflavin, calcium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, iron and magnesium. No wonder the average American consumes 135 pounds of potatoes per year, as provided by the National Potato Council.